The Floor of Vileness
Well, once again, Trump has gone blasting through a previously unimaginable floor of vileness. After mocking a disabled reporter, attacking the bereaved parents of a fallen serviceman, bragging about multiple sexual assaults on tape, and his defense of neo-Nazis and white supremacists, it was impossible to imagine being shocked by anything – and yet this one left my jaw scraping the floor.
“So interesting to see ‘Progressive’ Democrat Congresswomen, who originally came from countries whose governments are a complete and total catastrophe, the worst, most corrupt and inept anywhere in the world (if they even have a functioning government at all), now loudly and viciously telling the people of the United States, the greatest and most powerful Nation on earth, how our government is to be run,” Mr. Trump wrote on Twitter.
He added: “Why don’t they go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came. Then come back and show us how it is done.”
Broadly, Mr. Trump’s attack was meant for members of the so-called squad: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Ayanna S. Pressley of Massachusetts.
“These places need your help badly, you can’t leave fast enough,” Mr. Trump said. “I’m sure that Nancy Pelosi would be very happy to quickly work out free travel arrangements!”
Only one of the women, Ms. Omar, who is from Somalia, was born outside the United States. Ms. Ocasio-Cortez was born in the Bronx to parents of Puerto Rican descent. Ms. Pressley, who is black, was born in Cincinnati and raised in Chicago. And Ms. Tlaib was born in Detroit to Palestinian immigrants.
Nice job, you unutterable shitbag.
Of course it's absurd and demeaning even to have to point out that these four women are the elected Congressional representatives of millions of Americans (2,839,585 to be exact), never mind that all four are Americans themselves (three native-born, one a naturalised child immigrant from a war-torn country, which makes her more American).
My dear friend Mandy commented, “Rs are silent. MAGA crowd delighted to have their racism justified. Everything is happening according to plan. I don’t know how we’re going to unwind this even when Trump is out of office.”
An outstanding point. Trump's 90% approval rating amongst Republicans is a cause for profound despair. I said before the fact that if Trump were elected, America would be (at best, temporarily) over. I ardently hate to be proven prescient. And I worry – not a worry I ever imagined having – that America is unsalvageable. But I guess we have to believe that progress is always possible, including in people's hearts.
To put the approval rating another way, and in the proper light: How could anyone stand in a room with this guy – anybody with a shred of decency, shame, or self-respect ought to walk out – never mind put up a hand and approve of him?
First, the facts: The country Ocasio-Cortez, Tlaib and Pressley “originally came from” is this one. They were born in America. Omar was a refugee from Somalia. But, this is the most important fact: They aren’t white, and they are women. They are “other” in the framing of the white nationalists. Challenging America to own its sins and live up to its ideals isn’t a vicious attack, it’s an act of patriotism.
There can be no more discussion or debate about whether or not Trump is a racist. We are watching a very dark chapter in this nation’s history unfold in real time.
